


Fragments of Time

by twistyladder



Category: Transformers: Prime
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-24
Updated: 2016-05-29
Packaged: 2018-06-10 10:43:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6953428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twistyladder/pseuds/twistyladder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of short Breakdown and/or Knock Out-centric fics, each meant to be a missing scene from Transformers Prime.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Deus Ex Machina

“Well, here we are,” Knock Out said dryly, observing the room that was to be his and Breakdown’s accommodations on the Nemesis.

There was a muffled _thud_ from behind the medic as his partner set the box containing their few possessions on the floor. “Home sweet home,” Breakdown joked.

And it _was_ a joke, because the room was downright depressing. Two military standard berths were its main furnishing (not that they needed more than one, but Starscream seemed to be in denial about that particular fact), with a footlocker for personal effects at the end of each. The space was lit by two dull overhead lights, giving the room and anyone in it a sickly purple cast. On their right was a doorway leading to a washrack that Knock Out could already tell would be just barely big enough for Breakdown- so goodbye, sharing showers.

Knock Out was shaken from his dour train of thought by a huge hand coming to rest on his hip. “Stop overthinking it, KO- I can tell you are,” Breakdown said, as close to gently as he ever got. “We’ll make it work, just like we always do.”

The medic turned around, dislodging Breakdown’s grip, but resting a slim hand on his forearm before he could pull it away. “Oh, I know we will,” Knock Out smiled wryly up at his partner. “That doesn’t mean I can’t complain a little first, though.”

“Mm-hm,” Breakdown hummed, absently wrapping his hand back around Knock Out’s hip. “You think we can both fit on one of these?” he mused, nodding to the room’s berths.

“Well, only one way to find out,” Knock Out answered, starting to turn back towards the nearest berth when Breakdown’s free hand grabbed his other hip, and he promptly found himself lifted clear off the ground with seemingly no effort.

“HEY! At least give me some warning first!” Knock Out protested, grabbing Breakdown’s hood for support as he was carried three lumbering steps towards the berth. The big mech wasted no time making himself comfortable on the surface, draping his much smaller partner on top of him.

Knock Out adjusted himself so he could rest his chin on Breakdown’s protruding chest, peering down at the scuffed blue plating.

“We’re both going to need a polishing tomorrow,” Knock Out observed morosely. “Especially you, wrestling with that ‘arch-enemy’ of yours in the dirt like that.”

Breakdown ex-vented sharply in amusement. “He’s not my arch-enemy, he just thinks he is because he hates me so much. Me? I’m over it.”

“As well you should be,” Knock Out smirked. “Now let’s get some recharge- I’m sure His Highness will want us up bright and early tomorrow.”

“Not gonna argue with that,” Breakdown agreed, levering himself onto his side and carefully lowering Knock Out onto the berth’s surface in front of him (with much less room to spare than they were used to). The medic tucked himself neatly with his back against Breakdown’s front, and the big mech’s arm came to rest over his midsection.

“Good night, Breakdown,” Knock Out murmured, dimming his optics.

The arm wrapped around him gave a gentle squeeze. “Goodnight, Knock Out.”


	2. Speed Metal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No real content warnings here, save for very vaguely implied abuse.

The morning after “the incident,” Knock Out grunted irritably at the sight of his reflection in the washrack’s too-small mirror. Not only was he missing an entire _door_ thanks to the oh-so-honorable Optimus Prime, he now had two sets of evenly-spaced scratches from Starscream’s talons, forming a garish “X” across his front.

And he was pretty sure that human he’d kidnapped had drooled on his upholstery, too. Lovely.

Breakdown chose that moment to poke his head in, taking a brief glance at the damage before speaking. “That doesn’t look _too_ bad,” he offered, shrugging.

“Well, maybe to _you_ it doesn’t,” Knock Out retorted, realizing a second later that that probably sounded incredibly rude. 

Breakdown, bless his spark, didn’t seem offended. “But all it’ll take is a paint touch-up and a replacement door and you’ll be good as new, right?”

Knock Out sighed, reluctantly calmed by his partner’s practicality. “Yes, I suppose so. I’m going to look _so_ awkward until I can get a new door, though.” He lifted his arm to examine the newly bare metal again, frowning.

“Well, as long as we don’t have too many patients come in today, I should be able to fix up your paint, at least,” Breakdown suggested. “C’mon, we should probably get to the medbay before Starscream decides to come visit.”

Knock Out cast one last despairing look at his blemished plating. “Yes, right. Wouldn’t want to give the good Commander another reason to scratch one or both of us up again.”

The medic found himself lost in thought as he and Breakdown made their way to the medbay, where the comatose Megatron still lay. Knock Out had met Starscream just before the war started. The seeker had obviously had a temper then, yes, but it had been directed solely towards the Autobots. At the time, Starscream had practically idolized Megatron, and believed wholeheartedly in the Decepticon ideal.

What had happened to him, then, to twist him into the mech who’d left these marks on Knock Out’s plating at only the slightest provocation?

“He looking any more alive to you?” Breakdown said, peering at their only patient (at the moment) as they walked into the medbay.

“Mm, not really,” Knock Out replied, staring pensively down at the hole in Megatron’s chest. “I get the feeling Starscream has severely overestimated the extent of my medical training.”

“Well, he _did_ take an exploding space bridge to the face,” Breakdown pointed out, setting the sander and painting supplies he was carrying down on the counter in the center of the room. “Still not actually sure how he survived that to begin with.”

“Me either, and I can’t get a straight answer out of anybody around here about it,” Knock Out complained. “I mean sure, Megatron’s a tough bolt to crack, but even _he_ must have limits.”

Breakdown just shrugged. “I dunno, doc. This kinda conspiracy stuff’s too much for me. Want me to start sanding that damaged paint?”

“Yes please,” Knock Out said eagerly, striding over and hopping up on a vacant examination table so Breakdown could access his chest more easily. “I can touch up your paint after you’re done with this, if you want. You’ve still got a couple of scuffs on your arms,” Knock Out offered as his partner set to work.

“Sounds good to me,” Breakdown agreed.

Knock Out hummed a little, contentedly watching the care with which the big mech worked on his finish. Breakdown’s reputation as an indelicate brute was deceptive, but that was all right with the medic- it just meant he got the bruiser’s soft side all to himself.

Now, if only the _rest_ of their new situation was as simple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel as though I should note that the backstory I'm going to be using in this fic is kind of a weird fusion of Aligned Continuity canon and IDW canon, with some of my own headcanons thrown in. It's only briefly relevant in this chapter but I'll be getting deeper into it later on.
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are appreciated! Let me know how I'm doing.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again! I've wanted to write fic about these two for a very long time, especially because I have a lot of headcanons about what went on on the Nemesis outside of what was explicitly shown in Transformers Prime. 
> 
> Since this fic will follow the canon events of Transformers Prime, it will eventually have content dealing with major character death, unethical experimentation, abuse, and probably some other unpleasant things I can't think of off the top of my head at the moment. So if any of that stuff bothers you, tread carefully in future chapters. If it helps, each chapter title will be the name of the episode it covers, and I'll have specific content warnings in the notes before chapters where they're applicable.
> 
> Find me at historionicknockout on Tumblr!


End file.
